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‘While working with one of my cello students, who is first chair in her school orchestra, the subject of "what it really means to be first chair" was something that we spoke about for quite a while.’

‘I am interested in a bass trombone chair with an orchestra, should one become vacant.’

‘Donors are credited on the Musicians page of each concert programme directly beneath the chair that they have chosen to endow, recognising them as patrons of their chosen area.’

‘She was first chair for violin in orchestra ever since middle school.’

5British A metal socket holding a railroad rail in place.

verb

[WITH OBJECT]

1Act as chairperson of or preside over (an organization, meeting, or public event)

‘I meet her at the headquarters of her organisation where she is chairing a meeting.’

‘The meeting was chaired by the President who welcomed a full attendance of members.’

‘If you are holding a meeting or chairing a symposium and would like to prepare a collection of papers, but do not have enough material for a Special Publication, then please get in touch.’

‘He is be formally known as the Mayor of the County of Kildare and will be addressed as Mayor when he chairs meetings of Kildare County Council and at all official functions.’

‘Mr Brown, of the Crescent Hotel, agreed to chair future meetings that are open to the public.’

‘The meeting was chaired by the president, who welcomed the members.’

‘The meeting was chaired by Mrs. Power, as the President was away.’

‘So I was dismayed by the comments made by the conservative councillor chairing the meeting, who said this would be the last one and they would be replaced by ad hoc meetings when councillors feel they have something to tell us.’

‘‘It will be up to the administrations in those areas to decide,’ he remarked after chairing a ministerial meeting on political and security affairs.’

‘Schools will be paired with local universities to provide expert speakers, the children choosing the topic, chairing the meetings and advertising each event.’

‘The Senator will chair a Public Forum on Child Abuse at Southbank, Brisbane on July 31.’

‘During its period of office, that member state has responsibility for organizing and chairing meetings of the Council of Ministers and its various committees.’

‘This was the first meeting chaired by the new national president.’

‘Councillor Brett will be chairing a fringe meeting at the Lib Dems' conference in Bournemouth in order to drum up more national support for the local campaign.’

‘In addition to chairing meetings of the council, the office holder is obliged to attend a number of activities and functions.’

‘The institution responsible for initiatives, chairing meetings, and implementing decisions was the presidency, rotating between member states.’

‘The office of Mayor is almost entirely ceremonial, though the Mayor chairs meetings.’

‘She also learned administrative skills - how to speak in public, write a grant, chair a meeting.’

‘Tonight I'm chairing a public meeting in Hoveton on policing issues and then tomorrow morning we have Michael Howard coming to Cromer.’

‘I am chairing public meetings around New Zealand on the misuse of methamphetamine, alcohol, and other drugs.’

preside over, take the chair of, be in the chair at, officiate at, moderate

lead, direct, conduct, run, manage, control, be in charge of, be in control of, have control of, supervise, superintend, oversee, guide

2British Carry (someone) aloft in a chair or in a sitting position to celebrate a victory.

‘At the completion of the game, Warne lapped up yet another standing ovation from the 79,000-strong crowd, the champ responding in kind, bowing and blowing kisses to the crowd before a futile attempt to chair him off the ground.’

‘You've never seen anyone get to the victory stand so fast, even with his short-stop house-mate Ruben's failed effort to chair him up there.’

‘As Lord Cloncurry was departing, there was an universal cry to chair him into town, and he was surrounded for that purpose by a large group of gentlemen near the gate of the Old Man's Hospital.’

‘So magical had been his performance that he was chaired from the ground by his opponents as well as his own team-members!’

Phrases

take the chair

Act as chairperson.

‘It was also a significant day for Rohan who was performing his first official function in his home town since taking the chair.’

‘Jim Wallace took the chair and asked if anyone had any ideas about what ministers should be doing.’

‘Our advisor again took the chair, in her speech she stressed the absolute necessity of having a president, secretary and treasurer, so that our branch could continue to function.’

‘Only if the Nordic bid was to be eliminated at this stage would Johansson take the chair as president of Uefa.’

‘Ron Atkinson took the chair for the following season.’

‘Kathy was a popular choice as President of the Kildare Guild and took the chair on many occasions - a role which she filled in a dignified and common-sense manner.’

‘Held in the Royal British Legion on March 10, due to the unavoidable absence of the chairman, the vice-chairman took the chair.’

‘The election process was swift with the past vice president taking the chair as president for the next two years.’

‘Bridget Roche took the chair as Toastmaster for the meeting and was amply assisted by the Club President Aidan Russell.’

‘When I first took the chair of the Australia Council in the mid 90s, we surveyed most artists and writers about what they needed in order to produce their creative work.’